


London A.X.

by helem



Category: The X-Files RPF
Genre: F/M, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-04-30 08:30:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5157041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helem/pseuds/helem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I hate these. G-woman and DD give domesticity a try.</p><p>ON EXTENDED HIATUS</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own 'em. Wish I did.

“Can I call? DD”

“Just driving back from a press event. Almost at my hotel. GA”

“Is that a yes..? DD”

“It’s a gimme 10 ;) GA”

 

“You there yet? DD”

“Just got off the elevator. Walking to my room. GA”

“Okay. I’ll dial in a sec. DD”

 

She picked up on the second ring. “Mulder, it’s me.”

He chuckled. “Hey, stranger.” The gravellyness of his voice made her face flush. It was so rich. She always missed it.

“So it’s been, what, two weeks? You miss me already?” she asked cockily as she kicked off her shoes and settled on the sofa in the living room of her suite.

“Well,” he sighed. “Yeah.” At his pathetic tone she could picture him running a hand through his hair.

“What’s up?” The casual tone of her voice marred the concern that was starting to flood her. He was never serious on the phone.

“Um, I’m not sure how to start, to be honest.”

She coughed to indicate he had her attention. She knew he’d figure out himself how to say whatever it was that warranted a phone call while they were still in the same country.

“Gillian, I, um. Fuck. This went a lot more smoothly in my head. When are you flying back to London?”

“David, what’s this about?”

“Jesus. Please just tell me.”

She sighed, that familiar frustration starting to course through her blood. “My flight’s tomorrow evening. I have one more interview tomorrow morning, then I’m meeting Piper for lunch. I’ll probably head straight for LAX from there.”

“Shit. I wanted to do this in person but it sounds like you’re pretty busy. Okay. I want to go to London with you.”

“What?”

“I want to come to London. With you.”

“David, what are you saying?”

“You’re the last good thing, Gillian. There’s nothing left for me here. I don’t want to work anymore. The kids are grown up. God, I hardly see them as it is. Being in Vancouver with you was the happiest I’ve been in years.”

“David, you weren’t in Vancouver _with me_. We were working. That’s it.”

“Exactly. And it still made wake up excited in the morning. It made me feel alive again. You bring that out in me.”

“Jesus, David. Where is this coming from? Are you saying you want us to... be together? Like, together-together?”

“I’m saying I want a chance to be whatever you want this to be. I just want to be around you. I’m fucking sick and tired of making excuses. We were always co-stars, or one of us was always with someone else. There was always some fucking lame reason we kept saying no. It’s bullshit. There’s something here and you know it. I’m just asking, I’m begging you to take a shot. And if it goes to shit, you don’t have to see me ever again. I’d rather have tried and failed than have to spend the rest of my life wondering ‘what if.’”

“David.” Her voice trembled, her warning coming across as desperation.

“Gillian. Please. This is all I’ve got. You’ll have all the control. I’ll play by your rules.” She heard him sniffle as his voice hitched a little. “Jesus. Please.”

“God, David.” She shook her head, willing the tears not to fall. “Okay,” she whispered. She heard him pause on the other end.

“Really?” he asked, disbelief evident.

“Yeah.” She coughed again, gathering herself. “But, Jesus, David, so help me if you fuck it up...”

“I won’t. I promise. This is whatever you want it to be.” She’d never heard him sound so solemn.

“So I’ll see you when?”

“I’ll give you some time to settle back across the pond. I’ll try book a flight for next week. I’ll text you later with the exact day.”

“Okay.” She laughed mirthlessly. “God, I can’t believe we’re doing this. How many years has it been, and now... Shit.”

He laughed. “I guess life imitates art.”

“It sure does. I’m pretty tired so...”

“Oh. Yeah, you should, um. You should get some rest before tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

She smiled. “Goodnight, I guess.”

“Goodnight.”

She was just about to hang up.

“Gillian?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Goodnight, David.”

He stayed on the line a full minute after she hung up, hearing a thousand previously forbidden fantasies come forward into the realm of possibility through the monotonous drone of the dial tone.

 

                  *                 *                 *                

 

She was pacing. She knew she had to stop. It was making the boys nervous. But she couldn’t. He’d be here any minute.

“Mummy, pleeeaaase can we stay? Just for one night?”

“No, darling,” she replied for the fourth time. “You must go to daddy. He misses you. Besides, David and mummy have a lot to talk about. You’ll see him again on Monday after school, okay?”

Both boys nodded their heads in defeat. She smiled inwardly at their excitement. They loved him. He loved them too. But she hadn’t lied – they had a lot to discuss. A discussion which would only be made more complex by the presence of the boys. It was good that his arrival coincided with their weekend at their father’s.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t spoken. There’d been two more phonecalls after the initial bomb-dropping. But they’d been fairly surface level, albeit surface with a storm of activity beneath it. And now it was time.

She had just started pacing again when the doorbell rang. She paused, took a deep breath, then went over to open. And there he was. Rumpled t-shirt, jeans, suitcase. She took him in. Then she looked at him. His eyes were tired, but that was outshone by the immediate joy she saw as her own met them. She smiled.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

She ushered him in and the boys immediately tackled him. “Hey, you guys! How’s it goin’?”

This was followed by a chorus of “Good!” “Great!” “We wanted to stay but mummy said no!” “Now we have to wait ages!” “Yeah, all the way ‘til Monday!” “Monday _afternoon!_ ” “Yeah! It’s so unfair!” She smiled as she watched the exchange and David’s expression of genuine concern and pity.

“Well, that’s too bad. But we have to do what mummy says or else we’ll all get in trouble.” He winked at her over the tops of two blonde heads. “Tell ya what, Monday I’ll pick you guys up from school and we’ll spend the whole afternoon together, okay?”

“Really?” Felix asked excitedly. “With no mummy? Just boys?”

“Really, really. No girls allowed.” He crossed his heart then looked at her again questioningly. She shrugged in assent then clapped her hands.

“Well, Cara’s here, so you two better grab your bags! But first I want two bear hugs.” The boys ran over two her, crushing their heads against her stomach as she kissed their crowns. Crouching down she said, “Enjoy your time with daddy. Be good. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” They nodded. Then they were out the door like twin waist-high whirlwinds.

They stared at each other, neither daring to breathe too hard lest the silence protecting them shatter. He decided to crack it.

“Who’s dropping them?”

“Cara. My nanny. She stays close by.”

He nodded then glanced around.

“How was your flight?” She wondered if her voice sounded so shrill to him as it did to herself. Was she speaking too loudly? God, she was losing it and he’d only just got here.

“Good. It was good. Easy.”

“And you got here okay?” She glanced at his suitcase and he caught it.

“Yes. I’ve booked a hotel room a few blocks away. I wasn’t sure...” He trailed off.

She nodded. She wasn’t sure either. This was insane. What were they thinking?

“Gillian-“

“David-“

They spoke simultaneously then laughed awkwardly. He gestured for her to go first.

“I just wanted to say that... I’m glad you’re here.” She was surprised to find that she meant it.

He smiled. “And I just wanted to say that you look nice.”

She lowered her head demurely.”Shall I open some wine?”

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

Everything felt stiff. This wasn’t them. He sighed. “Somehow I thought this would be easy.”

Her brow raised as she gazed into the depths of her wine glass. “You think we would’ve learned something from Mulder and Scully.”

He smiled wistfully. “Yes. Although I think this also would’ve happened a lot sooner had we been consistently on the run from a government group intent on killing us after we began to uncover their conspiracy programmes.”

She had to agree. “The boys are glad you’re here.”

“It’s good to see them. They’ve grown.”

“Time flies.”

“What did you tell them?”

“Nothing. Just that you’re visiting. I didn’t want to say much more. I don’t think there was much more to say.” She paused. “What should I have said?” She met his eyes steadily.

“Whatever you wanted to say.”

“You need to stop saying that. I didn’t start this.”

“We both started it. Twenty two years ago in an audition room.”

She held his gaze.

“I meant what I said, Gillian. This is what you want it to be. I have my hopes but I don’t want to project them onto you. Although I’m sure you have some idea.”

“I can only imagine,” she replied teasingly. He smirked, then glanced down shyly.

“Well, we’ve got to start somewhere,” she stated, leaning over to sit her wine glass on the wooden coffee table.

“What did you have in mind?”

“A kiss.” And there it was. So simple, and yet the biggest leap by far their relationship had taken. The word hung between him and he swore if he poked his tongue out he would be able to taste it. It would taste like her.

“Okay.” He put his own glass down.

She scooted further across the sofa until she was within the length of his arm as it rested across the back. Her knee brushed his thigh. She already felt aroused. Perhaps it was the wine. She licked her lips, still holding her gaze. His mouth was parted slightly. He made no move. She had full control. She placed a hand on his thigh to steady herself. He sucked in a breath. Slowly she leaned in, allowing her small puffs of breath to play across his lips, taunting him. Then, at the last moment, her eyes slipped closed and she was kissing him. He held still for a moment, frozen, and then his arm lifted off the sofa to curl around her, gently rubbing up and down her back as he began to kiss her in return. She released his mouth for a second, but by some magnetic pull she found it returning again, and again, sipping from him delicately, cautiously. And then she couldn’t stop herself. Her tongue darted out and he responded by opening to her immediately. His tongue probed her own, massaging it, lighting fires in all the places she’d almost forgotten about. This wasn’t Mulder and Scully. Not this time. Now it was David and Gillian. And it felt so good.

The hand not on his thigh came up to cup his jaw, feeling the roughness of his shadow beneath her fingers. She sighed into his mouth as his fingers brushed over neck, pushing her hair over her shoulder and playing with the golden strands. She shifted her hand on his leg, accidentally moving closer to his groin where she sensed his arousal straining beneath his jeans. As if a switch had been flipped, the kiss became more aggressive, their mouths forcing an attack with their tongues and teeth as the only weapons. His lips left hers and she almost complained before she felt him pressing hard, wet kisses along her jaw line, beneath her ear and down her neck. A whimper escaped her throat and he moaned roughly in response. She grabbed his wrist which was making its way around from her back and accelerated the journey, bringing it up to cup her breast. She gasped at the contact and he immediately went to work rolling the weight around in his palm, his thumb brushing over her nipple, coaxing it into hardness.

“David,” she gasped. “Oh, god.”

He brought his lips back to hers, absorbing her moans and cries into the cavern of his mouth. Their breathing was hard but they couldn’t bring themselves to tear away in search of oxygen. She ran her hand up and over the bulge in his pants. He wrenched away sharply. “Jesus, Gillian.” She began to suckle his ear lobe in earnest, shifting over so that she was straddling his lap. Her hand never stopped its torturous movements on his cock. He seized her wrist and she leaned back, quirking her eyebrow in question through her haze of lust. In answer, he grabbed her ass, pulling her forward so that she was settled over him. Slowly, she settled into his lap, allowing him to rock her against him. They both groaned at the sensation, the relief barely staving off the fire boiling just beneath the surfaces of their skin. She raised her arms, placing her hands on the back of the sofa at either side of his head to give herself some leverage so that she could rock more insistently against his hardness. Her breath came in short, loud pants against his cheek. He began to lift her sweater and she raised her arms in permission to remove it. As soon as it lay strewn on the rug, he assaulted her cleavage, kissing and nipping along the lace edge of her bra as she held his head in place between her hands. Soon she reached behind to undo the clasp, freeing her breasts to his eyes and mouth. He immediately sucked a nipple between his teeth as he laved it with his tongue.

“Fuck,” she breathed. “Christ, that’s good.”

He switched to the other one and her hands went down to undo his belt buckle. She shakily undid his fly, then reached her hand in to grasp him and expose his cock to the tepid air. He groaned loudly against her. His hands slid up her skirt, fingers darting beneath her underwear to grip her firm ass.

“God, you’re so hot, Gillian. I want you so badly. I want to do everything to you.” She whimpered at his admission.

Her nimble fingers worked his cock firmly up and down, occasionally swiping her thumb around the sensitive head which drove him just about insane.

His hand slid around the front, making for her clit. His knuckle slid against her, making her cry out. “You’re so wet, baby.” She bit her lip, her eyes shut tight. “Is that for me? Tell me what you want.” Her eyes opened and as she gazed at him, her brain kicked into gear, soon displacing her arousal. He saw the cogs turning behind her eyes and withdrew his hand. Their panting filled the space between them as they caught their breath. She glanced down and then quickly averted her eyes. He realised his erect cock still sat between them, a reminder of what had just occurred. He quickly tucked himself back, pulling his zipper up and buckling his belt. She slid off him, collapsing to sit next to him on the sofa, slumped and flushed.

He broke the tension. “Some kiss, huh?”

She giggled. “Mm, yeah.” She paused a moment. “David, I’m sorry, I just-“

He held up a hand. “No. Don’t apologise. It was our first kiss.” She arched a brow. “You know what I mean. I let it go too far. I hope you know that I wasn’t trying my luck.” She looked at him skeptically. “Hey, I am just a red-blooded male after all. And with you launching yourself into my lap like that-“

“I did not!” she retorted in mock horror. He just smiled. “I guess I didn’t expect it to be quite so good, that’s all.”

“I’m a regular panty-spoiler, what can I say?” he shrugged.

She gazed at him coolly. “I can’t argue with that.”

“Are you flirting with me, Anderson?”

“I might be.” They smiled at each other, the familiar banter already allowing the cloud between them to dissipate and settle into friendly contentment.

“Wanna grab some dinner?” she finally asked.

“Sure,” he replied standing up. “What do you suggest?”

“There’s a nice sushi place around the corner. Intimate.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll pay.” She dug her keys and purse from her handbag.

He stood behind her, his hands on her hips, smelling her perfume in her hair. “Obviously. I put out. It’s only fair.”

“Shut up.” Her words were venom but her smile was sweeter than honey. It was the best thing he’d seen all day. He’d better not fuck this up.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

Dinner was great, the conversation easy. They’d shared chocolate springrolls for dessert then walked home in a light drizzle. She moaned about her hair frizzing and her makeup running but he’d never seen her more beautiful. Maybe it was the possibility of a future with her that made her glow in his eyes. Whatever it was, she was radiant. And he was happy. It was just getting dark when they got back to her town house and he watched as she flitted around turning on heaters and switching light flips. He pondered how it was a nice change to see her at home.

“You like it here,” he mused aloud.

She turned and blinked as she processes his observation. “Well, yes. It’s home, really. It was home before America felt like home. Come to think of it, I don’t think America ever felt like home. Not completely.” She smiled sadly. She walked over to him. “I don’t know how you’d feel about this, but since I gather you’re going to be here indefinitely, how would you like to stay here? There’s a guest bedroom and en suite, I can offer home cooked food. There’ll occasionally be two rowdy short people around, but they’re not so bad once you get used to them.” She smiled hesitantly.

He grinned. “Would that be okay? It wouldn’t be weird?”

She shrugged. “I’m offering, aren’t I?”

“Then sure. It beats staying alone at a hotel.” He hugged her and she buried her face in his chest, breathing in his scent and exhaling everything she thought she had known about her relationship with this dark, brooding, excellent man.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

The rest of the evening had been quiet. They’d watched a movie, then both slunk off to their separate bedrooms. They were asleep by 10.

Gillian awoke to bird song. It was still dark outside, probably before 6am. No matter how long she went without working, her inner clock seemed to be stuck on early morning call times. Well, that and two young children. She padded to her door, quietly cracking it open and listening for movement. The house was silent. He must still be sleeping. She tiptoed down the corridor to his room, gently turning the handle to peer inside. He lay on one side of the bed, bare chested, hair tousled, fast asleep. He was beautiful. She hesitated at the threshold, but then hardened her resolve and closed the door behind her as she entered the guest room. She lifted the covers and crawled between the sheets, warm and snug from his body heat. As if on cue, he rolled over to spoon her, slinging a protective arm over her.

“I knew it wouldn’t take you long. No woman can resist my manly appeal,” his gruff morning whisper assaulted her ear.

“Shhh,” she chided. “Stop inflating your own ego and go back to sleep.”

Which he did. She followed not long after.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

When she woke again, wan sunlight was peeking through the curtains. She was content to find the warmth of his body still behind her, his arm still shielding her from the chill. She squirmed a little, relishing in the comfort of his embrace and felt him wake. In her squirming she couldn’t help but notice the slight hardness beneath his boxers. Instead of embarrassing her, it made her feel sexy. Desired. She wriggled against it once more for good measure, enjoying his low moan.

“Easy there, tiger,” he rasped behind her. She giggled, turning over to look at him.

“How’d you sleep?” she asked.

“Like a baby.”

“Must’ve been the jetlag.”

“Or the three bottles of wine.”

She grinned wickedly.

“C’m’ere,” he ordered, brushing her chin with his thumb.

She scooted up so that her head was poised above his, a hand resting on the hot skin of his chest, her hair hanging around them forming a cocoon. She brushed her lips against his, but he immediately placed a hand on the back of her head, pulling her down into a proper kiss. Foregoing all attempts at modesty, she plunged her tongue into his mouth and was rewarded with a groan as his hand skated down her shoulder blade and spine to grab her ass through her nightgown. She rolled onto her back, bringing him with her and opened her legs so that he could nestle his pelvis against hers. The weight of him upon her was delicious, but the feel of his hardness pressed against her was exquisite. He began a slow rhythm of gentle thrusts against her, making her moan into his mouth each time he hit the right spot. He pulled up onto his knees and she followed him by sitting up. As one, they pulled her nightgown over her head, baring her body to the cool air. They fell back onto the bed as he tried to get both of her nipples into his mouth at once while pulling her underwear off. She gasped as he bit and licked and sucked at her. Her mind had gone blank with arousal, just as it had the day before when he’d kissed her for the first time. She reached down and began tugging at the waistband of his boxers. He got the message and quickly slid them down and off. Incoherent thoughts ran rampant across her mind.

David. Me. Naked. Hot. Sex. Fuck. Now.

He ran two fingers down into her pussy to feel if she was ready. “Jesus, Gilly, you’re soaking, baby.” She could only whimper in response, reaching a hand down to grab his cock.

“David, please. Please, I need you to fuck me.”

He took over from her hand, guiding himself to her opening, then slowly, slowly, slid into her. She hissed and he stopped. “You okay?” Concern knotted his brow and ordinarily she’d find this endearing, but in her wild state it only drove her crazy.

“Yes. God, yes. Keep going, don’t fucking stop.” She sounded desperate, even to herself, but she didn’t care. All she could focus on was the feeling of (finally!) having him inside, the feeling of his cock in her cunt. He was all the way in and he had to focus on not coming immediately, something he hadn’t had to do since college.

“Jesus, Gilly, you’re so tight. So fucking hot.” He started to move, shallow little thrusts as he found a rhythm. “Ah, oh god, you feel so fucking good, baby.”

He was soon giving long, deep thrusts into her, rendering her incoherent as whimpers and moans escaped her each time he entered. She wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting to feel every single inch of his skin against her own, to memorise this moment of total unity after so many years of being separate entities bound only by contract and a personal relationship that was flimsy at best. Unable to communicate the gravity of what she was feeling with words as he fucked her, she brought both hands to cup his face, pulling his head down so that his eyes could bore into hers. Their pants filled the space between them as the intensity of their gaze almost overwhelmed that of the action beneath the covers.

Recovering her voice, she whispered, “David,” which made him groan, and he pulled back onto his knees, grabbing her hips and began pounding into her hard and fast.

She cried out at the sensation of him fucking her in earnest and she grabbed her own breasts, cupping them, pinching nipples, the sight of David, her co-star, her best friend, now her lover, above her. It was the most erotic moment of her life. She shut her eyes and focussed on the force of his thrusts. Then he was touching her, rubbing a finger back and forth on her clit and she was coming on him, around him, crying out as every muscle tensed and then falling back as they released and she melted into the bed.

Before she could catch her breath, he had pulled out, still hard, still unsated, and flipped her over onto her stomach. He grabbed her hips and jerked them up before entering her from behind. Once her brain recovered and she realised what was happening, she placed her weight forward onto her forearms beneath her, arching her back into his pelvis. He groaned, the sound of slapping skin and flesh sounding loudly behind her.

“Fuck. Oh, fuck, baby. Oh, Gilly, you’re so sweet. You’re so good, baby. So fucking good.”

She bit the pillow below her to prevent her own cries from escaping. She could feel her second orgasm approaching and she reached a hand down to rub her own clit.

“Yes, baby, touch yourself. Just like that. Make yourself come.”

And she did. Not as violently as before, but just as good. Then, impossibly, he was pounding harder and faster, chasing his own release and she knew she should help him along.

“I love how you fuck me, David. Jesus, you feel so good. You make me feel so good. Let me make you feel good. I want you to come for me. I want you to come inside me, baby.” Then adopting her best Special Agent Dana Scully voice she husked, “Come for me, David. Come now.”

And then he was groaning and pouring into her hot and rich and musky as his hips carried on pulsing, now staccato and out of rhythm, but still glorious, because this was _David_.

Finally, he pulled out, collapsing on his back next to her as they both struggled to catch their breath. He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissing her palm. She smiled then, naked next to him, equally naked, both sweaty and smelling of sex, and she realised she’d never been happier. Yes. Maybe this could work.


	2. Chapter 2

They left the bed well into late morning and decided to spend what was left of the day in the park eating, reading and dozing in the unusually warm weather, most of it in companionable silence. They were careful in their touches and interactions, always aware of the risks that being too relaxed in public may pose. They attracted a few glances from those around them, but none too lingering and no one braved asking for an autograph or photo. Around four, a breeze came up, bringing with it a chill that cause gooseflesh to rise on her arms. They packed up and he draped the blanket around her shoulders as they walked back to the car.

             

                  *                 *                 *

 

“Why do you think we never got here before now?”

They’d just caught their breath after making love for a second time. She’d come three times: twice under his skilled tongue and another when he’d fucked her after they’d finally made it to her bedroom. Her cheeks were still flushed as she lay with her head on his chest, a hand trailing through the sparse hairs that grew there. His question still hung in the air and he could practically hear the cogs turning between her ears.

At last she shrugged. “I guess it was just never our time.”

“Never?”

Well, yeah. Between marriages, not speaking to one another, and living in different countries. It wouldn’t have lasted the, even if we did ever manage to be honest with one another.”

“Was there ever a time when you thought it would ever happen?”

“I think the closest was at the Globes. But I’d just announced my divorce. I couldn’t see past moving on from Clyde. Besides, Chris would’ve fucking killed us.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, that’s true.” He was silent for a beat, then, “There was that one time though.”

She raised her head to look at him questioningly.

“Before the Globes. At the wrap party.”

“Oh, yeah. God, I’d almost forgotten. Nothing happened though. Not really.”

“There was definitely a moment.”

“Yeah. But I was still married. Not to mention that my husband happened to be there.”

“Didn’t stop you from clinging to me the entire night.”

“I think that’s when I realised it was over.”

“With Clyde?”

“Yeah. That my co-star made me feel safer than my husband could.”

“And get you wetter.”

She slapped him playfully. “That’s mean. He did get me pregnant, remember?”

His smile faded slowly until he was staring into her baby blues.

“What?”

He shrugged, avoiding her gaze. “Nothin’.”

“Hey,” she cupped his chin, bringing her face to his. “What is it?”

He looked at her, then seemed to acquiesce. “I would’ve loved to have gotten you pregnant.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Call it misogynistic or whatever, but there’d be something incredibly arousing in knocking you up, having my seed implanted in you, watching your body change. I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable. It’s just a thought.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. I’ve never thought about it that way. You’re right – it is kind of arousing.” She rubbed her foot up and down his calf beneath the covers.

He kissed her gently. “Wanna go again?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Clearly the yoga’s paying off. Your stamina just about keeps up with your appetite.” He smiled. “I like it.”

“I aim to please,” he husked as he helped her to climb up and straddle him.

The covers slid down her back as she kissed him and he reached around to run his hands over the soft skin of her shoulders, the muscles in her spine, the supple flesh of her ass. He could spend an eternity worshipping her body and he wouldn’t be sated. She turned him on without even trying. Just the way she’d flick her hair with her hand or catching a whiff of her perfume in passing was enough to make him hard.

She’d started rocking against him, moaning into his mouth as he came to life beneath her. He ran a hand down to stroke her smooth, firm thigh and he wound the other up into her hair, anchoring her lips to his own. His tongue was in her mouth and she tasted faintly of the wine they’d had earlier in the park, but mostly of the taste that in the last twelve hours he’d come to associate with her.

She reached a hand between them, giving him a few firm tugs, before rising up and positioning his head against her entrance. His hands went to steady her hips, fingertips digging in as she slid down onto him. His mouth opened, involuntarily drawing a groan from his lungs. Her head was thrown back, breasts on display for his eyes, plump lips panting and cheeks rosy - she was beautiful and he felt like one goddamn lucky motherfucker to be able to see her like this. The surge of affection he felt for her in the moment was almost enough to take the edge off of his arousal. He leaned forward, leaning his forward against her jaw and breathing against her neck. Her arms left his biceps to lace around his neck, drawing his head up so that she could kiss him gently. He smoothed his hands up and down her thighs on either side of him, as he pulled back to look at her again, and then she started to move, bouncing gently on his lap and soon leaving him breathless. Her sharp exhales on every down thrust were soon ending in the hint of a whimper. He bent his neck to take a nipple into his mouth and he felt her hand clench in his hair, holding him against her. He switched to the other, nibbling gently, and then worked a finger down to rub against her clit. Soon her hand was frantically tugging his head up.

“David, baby, I’m gonna come. Jesus, I’m so fucking close.”

He increased the movement of his finger. “Yes, baby, that’s it. Let it go, Gilly. Baby, you’re so beautiful. You’re so beautiful when you come for me.”

She gave a short scream and then she was contracting around him, her body trembling as he held her through it. She moaned as she came down and he couldn’t control himself anymore. He grabbed her hips, pumping her body up and down his shaft and gave a broken groan against her shoulder as he pulsed into her in hot bursts. She slumped against him and he trailed his fingers along her sweaty spine as he closed his eyes and focussed on gaining control of his breathing.

He was softening inside her but she made no move to get off him. They kissed lazily, sloppily, eyes closed and mouth open, tongues entwining and retreating in an endless game of hide and go seek. Eventually he slipped out of her and she went to clean herself up in the bathroom, returning to slip on his discarded t-shirt and crawl beneath the covers where he lay waiting in just his underwear.

He was just drifting off when she spoke. “This is pretty great, you know.”

He smiled in the dark. “It is.”

She was silent then, stifling a yawn, “The boys are back tomorrow.”

He jerked awake. “What, um... Are you gonna say anything to them? About me, I mean?”

“Mmmm...” She sounded half-asleep. “I thought we could speak to them together. When the time’s right.” And then she fell asleep.

He wrapped himself around her, exhaustion soon conquering the hint of worry that was wriggling in the back of his mind. Another problem for another day. And he’d be lying to himself if he thought she wasn’t worth it. His last thought before sleep took him was that if he wasn’t careful, he would soon fall entirely for her. And he knew that if that happened, there’d be no hope of turning back, even if he tried.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

“David! David!” Twin blonde cyclones raced up and tackled him in the schoolyard.

“Hey, you guys,” he choked out while Oscar was squeezing the life out of him round his waist and Felix was hanging round his neck from behind.

“You came!” Felix squealed excitedly.

“I sure did. Made a promise, didn’t I? I also remember something about no girls allowed.”

Both boys laughed loudly and finally released their death grip.

“So I was thinking burgers and milkshakes and then a trip to the movies?”

“Yeah!” They both cheered and David gave them each a high five.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

“How was your weekend at your dad’s?”

They were seated in a secluded booth in a pub. David was relieved to note it was quiet and the few patrons there were merely gave him a mildly interested glance as he walked in. He’d forgotten that people in LA were much more aggressive than they were anywhere else. He was thankful for the privacy.

“It was good,” Oscar said through a mouthful of french-fries.

Felix bobbed his head in agreement.

“Why are you here? Are you making a movie?”

David smiled. This was the question he’d been hoping wouldn’t come up. He knew it would only lead to others. “Uhh, no. Not making a movie. I just thought I’d visit your mom for a bit.”

“How long will you be here?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Where are you staying?”

Jesus. This kid was worse than the Spanish inquisition.

“Well, I’m actually staying at your mom’s house.” Pause. “In the guest bedroom,” he added. Best not to give them too much information.

“Do you want to be here boyfriend?”

David choked on his sip of milkshake. So much for the subtle approach. “Umm... What?”

“I said, do you want to be her boyfriend?”

David blinked. He knew kids were curious and all, but Jesus. “Well, uh. Your mom’s one of my oldest friends. My best friend, really. She always will be. And I can’t lie, she’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met.” There. Not too much information, but not lying either.

“So you think she’s beautiful?”

Oh my god. “Sure. But I think it’s way too soon to be breaking out the b-word.”

Oscar seemed satisfied with that answer but continued to give him curious looks between mouthfuls. Eventually Felix broke the silence.

“So you’re staying with us? Like eating and sleeping and pooping there and everything?” he asked excitedly.

Both David and Oscar burst into hearty laughter. “Yeah, buddy. We can play Guitar Hero every day after school. I’ll even make you my world famous pancakes for breakfast.”

Both boys’ eyes lit up and their exclamations of approval shot straight to David’s heart.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

They’d gone to the afternoon showing of Inside Out, which even David admitted to finding enjoyable, then hit up the park where he’d pushed them on the swings to shouts of, “Higher! Higher!” The sun was just setting when they got back and after a light dinner of grilled chicken and salad both boys were ordered to bath and get straight into bed. They traipsed upstairs and David overheard a few grumbles including, “I much preferred it when it was no go girls allowed.”

By eight thirty, the house was silent and David and Gillian were enjoying a bottle of red in front of the fireplace. They soon headed upstairs themselves. He planned on sharing her bed until she got up to wake the boys the next morning, whereupon he’d slink to the guest bedroom. When Gillian left the bathroom after her shower David was already fast asleep. She kissed his forehead, read a few pages of her book and soon was out for the count.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

“Mummy,” a little voiced whispered.

Gillian groaned as she was pulled from sleep.

“Mummy,” it came again, more insistently. She opened her eyes to a pair of identical ones looking at her from next to the bed.

“Felix, darling, what is it? It’s-“ she squinted at the clock on the bedside table. “Two in the morning. Why aren’t you in bed?”

“Mummy, I don’t feel very well.”

She sat up and turned her lamp on. Shit. He didn’t look well at all. His skin was deathly pale and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

David moaned next to her. “Wassamatta?”

“Felix is sick.”

He sat up rubbing his eyes to look over where Gillian was feeling the little one’s forehead. “He’s boiling. I don’t think I have any fever medication either. Shit.”

Felix looked blearily across the bed. “Hello, David.”

“Hey, buddy. Why don’tcha crawl in here.”

Gillian looked at him questioningly.

“I saw a 24 hour pharmacy a few streets away. I’ll go get him something.”

“Are you sure? I mean, would you mind?”

“Not at all. Just let him lie here until I get back. I’ll be as fast as I can.” He was already standing and buttoning his jeans, looking around for his t-shirt.

“David,” her voice called him back to her face. “Thank you.”

He smiled, then tousled Felix’s hair before kissing her chastely on the cheek on his way out.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

He was back in less than fifteen minutes.

“This should do the trick. If not, I’ve got a whole bagful of pills and potions downstairs.”

They fed Felix two measures of the bright yellow syrup and before long his eyes were drooping. As he fell asleep, Gillian whispered thank you again over the head of the sleeping child between them.

“Hey, don’t mention it. Any decent person would’ve done the same.”

She smiled. “Well, guess the jig’s up about you being ‘mommy’s friend’ now that he knows we’re sleeping in the same bed.”

“Yeah... That kind of came up in conversation today...”

Immediately her eyes went wide. “David, I thought we agreed to speak to them together?”

“Jesus, Gilly. I thought that was the plan too until Oscar decided it was time for a round of hardcore twenty questions.”

She laughed, all too familiar with her eldest son’s inquisitive nature. “What did he say?”

“He asked me if I was your boyfriend,” David deadpanned.

“Oh my god,” she cackled.

“I’m glad you’re finding this amusing. The kid sure knows how to put a guy on the spot.”

“What did you say?” she asked breathlessly.

“I told him the truth. That you’re my best friend and that I also happen to find you incredibly beautiful.”

She clicked her tongue. “You’re so full of it.”

“Gillian, I swear. Gospel truth. And I meant every word. Let them make of it what they will.”

She sighed. “You’re right. And also incredibly sweet. I guess we can just make them feel like it’s safe to ask questions if they have any and field them as they come.”

“Exactly. They’d probably be more upset if we lie or hide things from them than if we’re straight with them from the get-go.”

She nodded. “They do love you, David. And you’re really good with them.”

“I love them too.”

She nodded and looked down at her sleeping son to hide the moisture in her eyes. How did she get this lucky? And how could she have deprived herself of the inevitable for so many years?

“Sleep?” he whispered, bringing her back to the moment.

She nodded, then leant over to switch out her light. They kissed over the top of Felix’s blonde head, then fell asleep, each with a protective arm wrapped around his small, sleeping form.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a little shorter than usual, but I felt it was important to fill in the blanks of David and Gillian's past. I also desperately wanted to get something up before Christmas as I'm going to be unavailable for about three weeks. I'd like to thank everyone who has commented and kudosed - your support and encouragement means the world to me. 
> 
> Enough from me: here's the next installment. I'll see you in 2016! Be safe and be kind.

_Gillian had been subdued since she arrived at the wrap party with Clyde an hour before. David picked up on it immediately. Working so closely with someone, even for just three years, made it second nature to detect their emotions even through the subtlest of gestures. He had been caught up speaking with some of the directors but his eyes followed her as she dutifully accepted a drink and proceeded to walk through the crowds greeting her co-workers. He eventually managed to politely leave the conversation and move closer to her. She turned at his presence behind her and he immediately saw that her cheeks were more flushed than usual and her eyes were red rimmed. She had been crying. Silently offering her protection, he offered his arm and she took it, following his lead to the doors that lead outside, away from the chatter and music of the party, and away from the eyes of her husband._

_“You’re still fighting.”_

_It wasn’t a question, nor did she offer an answer, merely dipping her head to hide the tears that began to blur her vision again._

_“Dammit, Gillian. How much longer is this going to go on? Why do you stay when you’re so fucking unhappy? It’s insane!”_

_“David, you don’t understand. There’s a child involved here. I can’t be selfish. I don’t care about what happens between me and Clyde. But Piper. What kind of life would I give her? She’d have no memory of us all being a family. Jesus, her father would live in another country!” Her voice began to break as the tears slid down her cheeks. She buried her face in her palms, trying desperately to get her emotions under control. She couldn’t fall apart tonight. Not with her husband and her co-workers a few feet away._

_He immediately felt bad for snapping at her. He hated to see how this was tearing her apart and only wanted to protect her, but he also knew the turmoil she was experiencing as she weighed up the consequences leaving her husband would have on her child. “Shhh,” he soothed, stepping in and wrapping her small quaking form in his arms. “Shh, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay, Gilly. Please stop crying.”_

_He rubbed her back, the other buried in her hair and anchoring her head to where it rested on his chest. Slowly, her sobs began to peter out, leaving only a few sniffles and an errant tear or two. She lifted her head to look up at him without breaking the closeness of their bodies._

_“Everything will work out fine,” he repeated, “whatever your decision. You’re a great mom, Gilly. And when Piper grows up, she’ll understand that everything you did was in her best interests. She’ll know how much you love her and how brave and strong you are.”_

_She nodded and his thumbs stroked her cheekbones as he cupped her face in his palms. She felt so close to him in that moment, so thoroughly cherished and protected. As she gazed up at him, she couldn’t help but dart her eyes down to his lips. It didn’t go unnoticed, and he parted them under her gaze as the electricity began to build._

_“Gillian,” he whispered. And then the spell broke. She realised where they were and what they were about to do and knew that the timing couldn’t have been worse. She broke her eyes away and stepped out of his embrace, holding onto one of his hands._

_“Thank you,” she said quietly. She squeezed his fingers once and then she was gone, walking back to rejoin the party. He took a few deep breaths then followed her trail._

_She clung to him like a life buoy for the rest of the evening, putting her arms around his neck, nuzzling his ear. He spent a great deal of effort concealing his erection whenever she got too close. Eventually she passed out in a chair, the result of too much wine and high emotion. Chris snapped a picture of her. David thought she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen._

                  *                 *                 *

 

Felix stayed home from school the next day with David while Gillian met with the various people on her management team. Gillian picked Oscar up on the way home, by which time Felix was feeling much better, and the four of them spent most of the afternoon in an intense few rounds of Cluedo. After the final round when Mrs Peacock was found to be in the kitchen with a wrench, David offered to cook dinner while Gillian went through Oscar’s homework with him. They enjoyed a dinner together of salmon and cream pasta, the dining table filled with stories of David and Gillian’s days on The X-Files which had everyone in moments of both stitches and horror. All too soon, bath and bedtime were declared which David oversaw while Gillian packed the dishwasher and set about turning out the lights downstairs and locking up for the night. Thirty minutes later they were lying in bed, watching reruns of The Office with Ricky Gervais with the door closed, lest the boys be woken by their bouts of raucous laughter.

 

                  *                 *                 *

 

Gillian jerked awake. The room was dark and the house was silent, but she soon realised what, or who to be more precise, was responsible for waking her. David was pressed up behind her, a hand tightly gripping her hip while he planted hot, wet kisses to the column of her throat.

“Mmm, David,” she whispered. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he mumbled, running his hand up to cup her breast through her thin silk nightdress.

“So you thought that I shouldn’t get any sleep either?” She could already feel her body starting to respond to his ministrations, her nipples furling into tight buds and wetness gathering between her legs.

He moved his mouth from her throat to whisper raggedly in her ear, “We haven’t made love for forty eight hours. It’s driving me crazy. Being inside you is my new favourite thing. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

She groaned as he began lightly pinching a nipple as he pressed his arousal into her from behind. Not being able to see his face was only making her more frenzied, heightening her other senses and causing sparks to shoot across her skin at his touch. He reached down for the hem of her nightdress, bunching it around her waist before she helped him bring it up and over her head. Her panties soon followed and she realised that he was already naked beneath the covers, all firm muscle and hot skin pressed against her.

She reached behind to grab his already fully erect cock. “Nnng,” he groaned into the nape of her neck. “Oh, that feels so good.”

She worked him up and down for a few strokes and he reached around to run two fingers through her folds, gathering her wetness, and then circling her clit. She started to guide him to her entrance.

He grabbed her thigh, pulling it up and back to drape over his legs. With a few short thrusts he was inside her. She stared to buck her hips against him but he stilled her, resting his head against her shoulder blade while he caught his breath. “Just gimme a second, baby. You’re so tight like this.”

She trailed her nails through the hair on his forearm which was around her pulling her back firmly to his front while she waited for him to calm down. He placed one firm kiss on her cheek and then started to move, short deep strokes that caused him to bump against her cervix with every thrust, making her cry out. She turned her head to muffle her cries into his arm that was stretched out beneath her head, scraping her teeth against his skin.

His fingers continued to tease her clit but he soon had to pull his hand away to grip her hip as his thrusts became faster and harder. “Gilly,” he whispered urgently. “Baby, I need your help. I’m not gonna last.”

Diligently she reached a hand down to frantically rub against her clit. “Ahh,” she cried. “Oh, oh, I’m so close, David.”

“Yes, baby,” he whispered into her ear, now pounding into her. He could feel his own orgasm approaching but was desperately holding back so that he could hold her through her release. “Let it go, Gilly. That’s it, baby. Come for me.”

A few more hard thrusts and she was quaking in his arms, her mouth open in a silent scream as she came around him. The moan she made as she came down sent him straight over the edge, and he groaned against her shoulder as he shot into her in long, hot spurts.

He soon pulled out of her and rolled onto his back, gulping in air like a dying man. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat, muscles still quaking and lungs burning, throats hoarse. Finally, she got up and trotted to the bathroom to clean herself up and use the toilet. He was happy to see that she didn’t bother to cover herself up like most women her age. She was comfortable in her skin and the confidence she exuded only made her more desirable to the men she encountered. It reminded him what a lucky son of a bitch he was to be sharing her bed.

The bathroom light went out and she crawled back beneath the covers, snuggling up to his chest. Automatically his arm went around her shoulders, holding her small body to him. Her feet ran to just below his knees.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other night,” she said after a long moment of comfortable silence.

He made a questioning sound.

“About wanting to have gotten me pregnant.”

He shifted down so that he could look at her face.”Yeah?” he asked nervously.

“Yeah. It just made me think. About my children. About what it would’ve been like to have a child with you.”

“And?”

“It would’ve been great.” She smiled. “You’re a great father David,” she added. “But I thought I’d make it clear that it’s not going to happen.” His heart began to sink. “I got sterilized after Felix. I think three is plenty. I still do. As nice as it might be to dream about having another.”

He nodded in agreement. “And we’re not getting any younger. God, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have a baby right now. Waking up all hours of the night. The constant responsibility.”

She laughed softly. “Yeah. But it’s all worth it, isn’t it? If it did happen, hypothetically speaking, we’d definitely make it work. Not that we’d have much choice, but I daresay we’d even be good at it.”

He looked at her for a beat, gauging where she was headed. “So, you’re saying, hypothetically, that you also would want a child with me?”

She shrugged. “Well... Yeah. You were almost a second father to Piper in those early years. I’ll never forget it. I don’t think I could’ve weathered that storm without your support. Of course, it all went to shit after that.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. But here we are.”

“Here we are indeed,” she sighed. “So, think you can sleep yet or are you going to maul me again?”

He laughed. “The mauling seems to have tired me out. And just by the way, it didn’t sound like it was exactly torture for you.”

“It’ll be torture when the alarm goes off in the morning.”

“Fine, then I’ll drop the boys at school and let you sleep in.” he planted a kiss to her temple.

“Now I know why I keep you around,” she sighed sleepily.

He smiled down at her as he watched her drift off and it wasn’t a minute before his own eyelids drooped. Just as he slipped away, he silently mouthed the three words he knew he’d felt for her for twenty years. I love you.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2016. I love you all.

The following week, Oscar and Felix were on midterm break from school so their father was taking them to Euro Disney from Tuesday until the weekend when they would be promptly returned, albeit in a state of exhaustion post four-day sugar coma. Tuesday hadn’t been as peaceful as David had hoped. He’d had fantasies of very loud, intense lovemaking from the minute the front door shut, but it turned out Gillian had other arrangements, which included putting up shelves in the guest bedroom, tidying the kitchen cabinets and drawers, and grocery shopping. David made a last ditch effort to create an air of romance by cooking a lovely homemade meal, complete with wine and candles, but by the time he had finished loading the dishwasher, she’d already taken off her makeup and crawled into bed. He know his chance was completely shot when she gave him a peck on the lips and then reminded him that she had an early meeting with the London team for The Fall.

The following day he got a call from her just as he got in from a jog through the park.   
“Hey,” he said breathlessly, mopping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.  
“Hey,” she said. “So, um, I have a little bad news...”  
“Yeah?”  
“I need to fly to Glasgow. There’s a few things that need to be signed and sorted out with the studio up there. My flight only leaves at 5pm so I think it’s easier if I spend the night. Then I can catch up with Alan in the morning and I’ll be home by early afternoon.”  
He took a deep breath. “So you mean, like, 5pm today?”  
“Yes. I’ve asked Cara to pack an overnight bag for me so you should see her in a few hours.”  
“You’re not coming back here?”  
She sighed. “No. This is taking longer than I thought. They’re now speaking about doing a read through for the first episode, so it looks like I’ll have to head straight from here to Heathrow.”  
There was silence as he processed everything that was happening. He’d forgotten what filming on location could be like, both for the one having to leave and the one left behind.  
“David?” she called softly.  
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.”  
“I’m sorry. I had no idea this would happen.”  
“I know, Gilly,” he sighed. “And I understand. This is your life. And I’ve been there too. I’m not gonna be the guy who demands you be around 24/7. I can hold the fort here on my own for a night.”  
She smiled at his empathy. “Thank you. I’ve, um, I’ve got to go. But I’ll text you when I land, okay?”  
“Yeah. Fly safely.”  
“I will. Bye.”  
“Bye, G-Woman.”

After his shower he resolved to not pine her absence and instead decided to start watching The Fall to see what all the fuss was about anyway. He was only two episodes in when he couldn’t contain himself anymore and texted her.  
Her phone buzzed in her lap and she smiled as she read his message on the lock screen. “Watching The Fall S1 – holy shit! You’re so fucking hot! DD”  
She swiped to reply. “Why, thank you. It’s taken you long enough to hop on board though... GA”  
“That British accent is doing all kinds of things to me. Well, that and those tight skirts and heels ;) DD”  
“What kinds of things? GA”  
“Oh, baby, wouldn’t you like to know... On an unrelated note, describe what you’re wearing under your clothes right now. DD”  
She chuckled silently at his crudeness. “Not much. But I guess I’ll have to show you when I see you tomorrow ;) GA”  
“You’re killing me. DD”  
“You only have to survive until 2pm tomorrow. You can do it. I believe in you. GA”  
She could practically hear him groaning as the ticks turned blue.

She called him at 10pm from her hotel room overlooking the city. He picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”  
“Hi. I finally finished at the studio. Sorry it’s been such a crazy day.”  
“No, no, don’t apologise. I’ve kept myself perfectly entertained. Well, Stella Gibson has. And your perfect ass.”  
She laughed throatily. “Which episode are you on?”  
“Only the last of season two to go and then I’m finished.”  
“You’re an addict!”  
“Only for you.”  
She hummed her approval. “So I’m lying here on the hotel bed. All alone. I got rid of my pants before I got on.”  
She could almost hear his mind whirring as the picture formed. “Where are your hands?”  
“One’s holding the phone to my ear. The other was resting on my thigh...”  
“Was?”  
“Now it’s unbuttoning my blouse...” She began to slip slowly into her British accent and she heard his breath hitch slightly.  
“Jesus, I’m already hard,” he whispered down the line.   
Her blouse lay open, baring her midriff to the warm air, the valley between her bra-enclosed breasts. “Are you touching yourself?”  
“Yeah,” he admitted. “But just through my jeans.”  
“Stop,” she ordered firmly.  
“Ugh,” he sighed but obeyed her voice.  
“Not now. I want to wait until tomorrow, when I can feel you on top of me. It’s not my touch I want, it’s yours,” she breathed.  
He took deep breaths to slow his heart. “Fuck, you better get home fast.”  
She smiled and returned to her usual voice with him. “I’ll try. And I’ll make it worth it.”  
“You always do.”  
“Goodnight, Mulder.”  
He laughed at the nickname. “Goodnight, Detective Superintendent Gibson.”

David had spent the morning making and remaking the bed, cleaning every available counter top, and double checking that the fridge and pantry were fully stocked lest they need to leave the house for the next 48 hours, all in a futile bid to distract himself from the fact that she’d be home that afternoon. He’d come in the shower earlier, pumping into his own hand as he recounted their phone call last night in his head. He wanted to make sure he would be able to fuck her thoroughly before he found his own release inside of her.   
At 2:05pm he heard her heels on the doorstep and her key sliding into the lock. He dashed from the living room, catching her just as she stepped through the door, wheeling her bag behind her. He brought his hand to either side of her face and immediately placed a hard, long kiss on her mouth, which soon melted into softer, wetter kisses, pulling her plump lower lip into his mouth and running his tongue along it to get a taste of the flavour he had been craving since she had been gone.   
He finally pulled back, both breathing erratically, and he was able to take her in. Her hair hung in loose blonde curls on her shoulders, her lips swollen and red, and she was dressed in a silk top and pencil skirt, topped off with a killer pair of heels. She was the spitting image of Stella Gibson and it made him weak in the knees. He noticed she wasn’t wearing pantyhose beneath her skirt, instantly heightening his arousal. “Hi,” she breathed.  
“Hey,” he whispered back. They shared a small smile. Then her face turned serious.  
“So, Mr Duchovny, you think it’s alright for you to send me dirty texts when you’re fully aware I’m in a work-related meeting?” Her accent from the previous night was back and it was making him impossibly harder.  
“I’m sorry, Ms Anderson.” He liked where this was headed and didn’t mind playing along.  
“Sorry doesn’t help me,” she countered. “Sorry won’t change the fact that I had to sit in that room surrounded by my colleagues while you practically told me how hard you were because of me. Sorry won’t change that I could do nothing but sit in silence while I got so wet I could smell myself through my pants.”  
“It won’t happen again, Ms Anderson.”  
“That’s not what I was asking for.” Her mouth quirked in the hint of a smirk.  
Quickly David whirled her around so that her back was melded to her front while he firmly gripped her arms at her sides. “There must be some way I can make up for it then,” he growled into her ear before bringing a hand to cup her breast through her shirt.   
She wore no bra underneath, something he’d failed to notice earlier, and now he could feel her nipples straining through the think fabric. She felt his body stiffen behind her as he realised her neglect, and immediately he ran a palm up the inside of her thigh only to discover that she wore no underwear at all.   
“Seems I’m not the only one who’s been a bit naughty,” he whispered into her ear as he ran his index finger through her soaked folds.  
He dragged her to the kitchen, kissing her as her back dug into the marble island behind her. His hand ran firmly up and down her side, occasionally pinching a nipple, sometimes reaching for her ass. She made no effort at silencing the groans and whimpers that escaped into the cavern of his mouth. Eventually he reached down to grip the back of her thighs and lifted her to sit atop the count.  
“I want this open,” he growled, fingering the buttons on her shirt before he dropped to his knees before her.  
She diligently unbuttoned herself until her blouse gaped at her sides, her breasts exposed to the air, nipples hard and tingling with arousal. He took a break from where he was crouched in front of her placing soft kisses up and down her inner thighs as he edged her skirt up only to command her to play with her breasts. Again, she complied, too far gone to allow her rational side to get the better of her.  
Eventually he found himself hovering over her quivering flesh, the smell of her invading his sense of smell and his mouth watering as a direct result. He buried his face into her trimmed thatch of hair, breathing her in while he allowed his nose to nudge her clit. He glanced up at her gasp, pleased to see that both her breasts sat snugly in her palms, fingers teasing her nipples into further hardness.   
He placed hands on the outside of her thighs, holding her open to him, and began to lick and suck kiss and nibble at her slippery flesh as she bucked and moaned above him as she played with herself. She tasted like honey and cinnamon with a hint of citrus – a flavour he would never get enough of; a flavour distinctively her. He stiffened his the muscle of his tongue into a point, spearing it inside of her opening while he tilted his head side to side as his nose rubbed across her clit until she was crying out.  
“David... David, oh God! Oh, yesss!”  
Sensing she was reaching the peak, he brought to fingers round to pump relentlessly inside of her and latched his mouth over her bundle of nerves until her felt the flutters around his hand.  
“Ohhhhhh, oh, yes, baby... Mmmmm, yes... Oh, Jesus...”  
He felt her muscles release and leaned back to place a few soothing kisses on her thighs, in the crease of her hip, on each ankle, as she leaned her weight back onto her elbows, her entire body slack with release.  
He slowly stood up and she placed two chaste kisses on his lips. “How’re your knees?” she whispered, lips grazing his and her eyelids still heavy.   
“Alright,” he shrugged. “Any bruises are well worth it.” He kissed her again, tugging her top lip gently and she hummed in appreciation.

* * *

She’d wanted a shower after her flight and when her remaining few items of clothing lay strewn on the bathroom floor she poked her head into the bedroom where he lay playing on his iPad and invited him to join her.  
Now he was pressed up behind her, soaking flesh melded together, her hands trying and failing to find traction against the slate tiled wall. His right hand was hard at work between her legs as the left groped a breast, his mouth pressed to her shoulder, alternating between bites and soothing strokes of his tongue. She was panting, trying to keep up with the manic pace of his fingers thrusting in and out of her slick walls, her hips rhythmically colliding with his hardness pressed against her lower back which made him growl against her skin.  
Shakily she reached a hand down to rub her clit frantically and she choked on a moan as she came hard around his thick digits. He released a shuddering sigh and his grip around her waist tightened, keeping her up and against him as her knees began to buckle after the strength of her orgasm.  
He buried his nose into her wet blonde curls, placing kisses beneath her ear as she caught her breath, grazing her manicured fingers along his forearm, his trembling thigh. She nudged his head with her own, turning so she could kiss him languidly over her shoulder, tongues entwining and retreating lazily, lips gliding sloppily over each other. 

* * *

“Yeah, baby. Right there. Riiight there,” she breathed beneath him, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, beads of sweating forming in the heat of the space between their bodies as he fucked her slowly, learning and memorising every detail of her face and voice as he found the right angle for her. She was deliciously hot and tight around him, the smell of sex and sweat creating a heady cloud of perfume surrounding them.  
Her orgasm took them both by surprise, already being two ahead of him for the afternoon, but he held her through it, kissing her neck and mouth, stroking her hair.  
He started to move again, picking up the pace a little as he gazed into her blue eyes. He knew it was her way of telling him it was his turn, that it was okay to let go, but he held off, wanting to make it last. He’d never felt so close to her as in that moment, as though his heart were running over, spreading a pool of love and appreciation beneath them, filling the room with waves of trust and vulnerability.   
She felt the falter in his rhythm and held his face in her hands. “What is it? Are you okay?”  
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine, I just...” he trailed of, now rocking gently into her.  
“David,” she whispered, running her fingertips over his sweaty brow.  
He kissed her, pouring all of himself into her, the light and the dark, hoping it could tell her more than his words could. He pulled back, seeing the tears brimming in her eyes and brushed them away with his calloused thumb as they began to spill over her cheeks. She placed two fingers over his lips, mouthing, “I love you,” as he began to pump into her again.  
“Uh, I love you. Gilly, I love you. IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou,” he chanted as he felt himself reach the edge and begin to spurt deep inside her. He felt her legs clench and she was coming with him, her muscles locking him in place as she threw her head back, eyes clenched shut and her mouth open in a silent scream.  
They both relaxed and he placed his head against the moist skin of her chest, not wanting to pull out of her yet, prolonging the inevitable moment of separation. She raked her fingers through his hair, stroked his cheek, took his hand in her own and kissed his knuckles until he softened enough to slip out, some of their combined essence leaking out onto the rumpled bedding beneath them. He lazily thumbed a nipple, dug his fingers into the crease of her hip, placed kisses onto her breastbone, wishing this moment would never leave.   
They dozed until early evening when he scrounged up a platter of cheeses and fruits for them to feed one another over bottles of Bordeaux. They talked about everything and nothing, sharing shy but knowing smiles, looks that lingered a bit longer than usual. Neither bothered putting clothes on. They fell asleep a little after midnight, still nude, embraced like new lovers, content like old ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, um, I could leave this here or...?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this is a faster update than usual but I had a lot of time to write this week. Be warned, it's quite a bit shorter than usual!

Most of Friday was spent in the same manner – making love, dozing in the nude, snacking when necessary. A little after 3pm they dragged themselves from the bedroom to tidy up and shower before the boys were due to arrive at 5. Gillian mentioned something about nipping out to the shops so David took care of the handover from Cara. Felix seemed delighted to be home, telling wild stories about their Disney adventure but Oscar seemed subdued. David put it down to exhaustion and thought to get them both into a bath before dinner.

The house felt much fuller than it had the past few days and David realised he had missed the boys’ presence. Over dinner, Felix continued to chatter away while Oscar only answered direct questions with monosyllables and picked at his food. David noticed that Gillian too seemed not quite herself. She listened diligently to Felix’s tales, but David could see her concentration waning and her eyes not as lit up as they usually were at any moment alone with her kids. They all called it an early night, agreeing that unpacking could wait until the following day.

The following morning Oscar hadn’t made any improvement. David brought it up as he shaved over the twin bathroom sinks, Gillian brushing her teeth next to him.   
“He just seems a little... off. What do you think?” he asked tentatively.  
Gillian sighed. “I don’t know, David. He’s a kid. Maybe he’s just tired still.”  
David nodded.  
“I’ve asked him what’s wrong and he says he doesn’t feel ill or anything so there’s not much more I can do. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about just yet. Let’s give him a few days to settle in back home.”

And that was that. Or so they thought. They were eating lunch on the outside deck when suddenly Oscar broke his vow of silence.  
“When are you going home?”  
David looked up, soon realising the question had very pointedly been directed at him.  
“Oscar, that’s not very polite,” Gillian said sternly.  
Oscar ignored her, keenly waiting on David’s reply.  
“Well, buddy, to be honest I’m not sure. Are you kicking me out?” He winked jokingly, hoping to diffuse the sudden tension.  
“I’m just asking. Because don’t live here, you know. You’re just a guest.”  
“Oscar!” Gillian berated loudly, but David silenced her with a hand on her wrist.  
“Buddy-“ David started but was soon cut off.  
“I’m not your buddy!” Felix all but shouted, standing up from the table. “And you’re not my dad so don’t act like you are!”  
And with that he fled indoors and up the stairs. The silence around the table was deafening. Felix sat like a statue, eyes wide and watery, glancing between the two adults opposite him. After a beat Gillian made to get up.  
“Don’t,” David said softly, making a move to stand himself.  
“I should go talk to him,” she said softly.  
“Let me go. Man to man. Just, trust me on this?”  
She nodded her assent, taking her seat again and David headed into the house.

Oscar’s door was closed so he knocked.   
“Oscar?” he called gently. “Can I come in?”  
No answer.  
He tried the knob and was surprised to find that it turned easily beneath his palm. He pushed the door open. Oscar sat on his bed looking through the window, his back to the door.   
“Oscar?” David tried again.   
Oscar let out a sigh but turned his head to look at the doorway where David stood, acknowledging his presence. After a moment of sizing him up, he slowly nodded his head, shifting over so David could take a seat next to him.  
“So, you wanna talk about what happened just now?” David started.  
There was silence for a minute or two but David allowed the boy time to gather his thoughts. With a deep breath he started.  
“You make mum happy,” he said softly, looking down at his hands. “And that makes me happy. But sometimes I don’t feel like showing it or telling anybody because...” he paused. David squeezed an arm around his shoulder as encouragement. “Because I don’t want to make dad sad. I don’t want dad to think that I like you more than him. Even though I do like you a lot. But it’s different to how I like dad. It’s not about more or less, it’s just... different. And then I think about having two dads and how tricky that all sounds. I mean, I’m nine years old and I already have one mom, a brother, a sister, three best friends, and a goldfish. What am I going to do with two dads? It all just seems so... messy,” he ended quietly, then looked up at David with waterlogged eyes.  
David sighed. “Well, buddy. I hope you know that I’m not mad about what happened. I understand completely how weird this must be for you and your brother. Seeing your mom with someone else, having to navigate all the other stuff too.” Oscar seemed comforted by this so David continued. “But like you said, you’re nine years old. There no way you should be worrying about this stuff, and I’m sure your mom, your dad and I would all agree on that. Leave the worrying to the adults. Adult stuff is messy sometimes. You’ll learn that as you grow up. But then out of the messiness, if you’re really lucky and are able to hang around long enough, something pretty awesome can appear. And I speak from experience.” He tapped the side of his nose, making Ocsar laugh. “I’ve had plenty of messiness. And, hey presto! Look where I am now. I have your mom, who is the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and that’s a fact. I’ve got my own kids who I love more than anything, but now I also have you guys who are the coolest kids I’ve ever met.” He tickled Oscar’s sides, encouraging more giggles to erupt. “And as for having two dads? Well, I don’t think we need to worry about that quite yet. Anything can happen. But if that’s the way it goes, well, I’d be happy to share you guys if it means having you in my life forever. Even if you do smell a little funny.”   
Oscar laughed again. “We do not!” he choked out through a giggle.  
David ruffled his hair. “So, are we cool? You feeling okay?”  
Oscar nodded happily.  
“Can I get a bear hug?”  
The boy launched himself into David’s arms. As David gave him a piggy back down the stairs Oscar whispered into his ear, “I’m sorry about what I said. You can stay as long as you want.” David’s smile could’ve lit up the Milky Way.

* * *

The rest of lunch was much better, the boys still chattering away about their Disney experience while David listened tentatively. He couldn’t help but notice that Gillian still seemed distant. She laughed and gasped on cue but her hands fidgeted restlessly beneath the table and her eyes seemed to glaze over at regular intervals. Afterwards she announced that she was going to have a nap so the boys helped David to clear the table and then the three of them spent the afternoon playing Guitar Hero in the den.

That evening, David made pancakes for dinner and they all squeezed onto one couch to watch ET after which David had to carry two sleeping boys up the stairs and safely into bed.   
Gillian was carrying out her evening ablutions when she felt two strong, tan arms wrap tightly around her waist from behind and a stubbly kiss places on her neck.  
“Hey,” David whispered.  
“Hi.” She smiled softly, again the glint not reaching her eyes as was usual.  
“Are you okay?” he asked gently as she laid her hands on his forearms, meeting his gaze in the bathroom mirror before them.  
She seemed to contemplate the question.  
“You know you can tell me anything,” he prompted into her ear, placing another soft kiss behind it.  
He felt her take a deep breath in his arms. “I guess this whole Oscar thing has just got me thinking.”  
“About?”  
“Well, this,” she said, gesturing to their reflection. “Us. Where this is going.”  
He kissed her shoulder. “I thought we weren’t going to make a thing out of it. Just see where it takes us.”  
“So did I, but...” she trailed off.  
“But?”  
“You have to agree that things are happening really quickly. In three weeks we’ve gone from living in different continents to- whatever this is.”  
He nodded. “Do you think that’s a problem? I mean, do you want to have this discussion? I’m not starting an argument, don’t get me wrong, I’m just wondering if it’s necessary.”  
She held his gaze. Then nodded firmly. “It is necessary.”  
“Okay.”  
There was silence again as he waited for her to continue. Her eyes dropped to her hands which once again fidgeted before her. “Remember yesterday when I went out to the shops before the boys came?”  
“Yeah?” he said, confusion knitting his brow and tainting his voice. What on earth did that have to do with their relationship?  
“David-“ her heard her gulp, her eyes finally returning to his in the mirror. “I’m pregnant.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is. When I started this story I decided that this was definitely not the direction I wanted to go in but, as tends to happen, the words ran away with themselves and I was left a mere conduit. Please let me know in the comments whether you think it was the right thing to do as I'm still unsure myself. If you think it's a worn out cliche, please say so! I may take this chapter down and instead continue on a different thread. Thank you, as always, for all your love and support.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the absence. I'm utterly convinced that these two write themselves. I hope you enjoy x

She felt him stiffen behind her but she forced herself not to get emotional until they’d had a proper discussion. There was a long silence and she saw a hundred different emotions flicker across his face – surprise, confusion, fear. Each lasted a split second but she recognised them all, having twenty years of experience reading him on her side.   
“What?”  
She only turned to face him.  
“I... um.” He huffed out a nervous laugh. “I thought you’d been sterilised?”  
“I am. Well, I was. I’ve heard that things can go wrong though. That sometimes the fallopian tubes can grow back together. It’s rare but it happens.”  
He ran a hand through his hair. “Is it mine?”  
“Jesus, David,” she hissed, pushing him aside as she walked into the bedroom to sit on the bed.  
He followed like a wounded animal. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant. It came out wrong. I’m sorry.” He sat next to her as her eyes stared unfixed in front of her. “I meant, uh, how far are you?”  
She sighed. “Two weeks. I took the test yesterday.”  
He nodded solemnly. “So that means it happened...”  
She looked at him. “One of our first times,” she finished for him. She gave him a small smile, allowing him to think for the first time in the past 2 minutes that maybe it would be okay. “Who gets that lucky? At our age?”  
He smiled. “So it’s a good thing...?”  
She reached out to take his hand in both of hers, looking down to watch her fingers play with his own. “I... don’t really know yet. I’m having trouble believing it.”  
He looked at her, how she was so beautiful without a stitch of makeup, wearing nothing but a tank top and underwear, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. He wanted nothing more than to think of her as the mother of his child, along with everything else she already was to him: friend, lover, soul mate. He clenched her hands and she met his eyes. “Well, you know how I feel.”  
She nodded. “There’s no way I’d even entertain the idea of not having this baby. It’s just a scary thing. I have so much going on right now.”  
“Shhh,” he soothed, placing a kiss on her temple. “We still have a lot of time. We’ll work something out. And I’ll be there every step of the way.”  
“I’ll make a doctor’s appointment for Monday. Will you come?”  
“Absolutely.”  
She looked at him for a beat and then all of a sudden she was kissing him urgently. Her hands cradled his face and her mouth nipped insistently until he realised what was happening and opened to her tongue. His hands slid to her waist and around to her back, pulling her across his body so that she was straddling him. Harsh breaths through their noses filled the spaces between them as their lips and tongues melded together, gliding smoothly and wetly over, under, around each other. He gripped her hips tightly and she brought a hand to clench his t-shirt, holding him to her as though he were a life buoy and she was at risk of floating away. A need for oxygen made them drag their mouths away from each other, but she leaned her forehead against his, needing the contact, with her arms draped around his neck. He dragged the tips of his fingers up and down her back. She could feel his sudden hardness beneath her pelvis and she raised an eyebrow.  
“When did he arrive?”  
He chuckled. “He’s always around when you are.”  
She smiled and smoothed a hand over his brow and through his hair peppered with grey. “How the fuck did we get here?” she asked with equal parts humour and disbelief. “Sharing a bed? Having a baby? Jesus.”  
He placed a few chaste kisses along her jaw. “I think sometimes the most jagged line leads to the most obvious destination.”  
She slowly broke into a smile. Then kissed him for all she was worth.

* * *

“Mr Duchovny? We’re ready for you.”  
He dropped the magazine he’d been absent-mindedly flicking through and got up to follow the doctor into her office where Gillian was already waiting. He took the seat next to her as Dr Wainwright rounded the large oak desk to sit opposite them.   
“To bring you up to speed, Mr Duchovny-“  
“David, please. David’s fine,” he interjected gently.  
“David. I just performed a pelvic exam on Gillian and the home test she took was correct. She’s two weeks pregnant.”  
David nodded. He was anxious to get on to the things he didn’t know, the risks involved with having a baby at 46.  
“As I’m sure you’re aware, your age,” she nodded at Gillian, “does bring with it some added chance of irregularity, both for you and the foetus. At the moment though, I must say that things appear very normal. It’s obviously still very early, but I’m confident in saying that if you maintain the healthy lifestyle you exhibited during your previous pregnancies, irregularities would be unlikely.”  
He felt Gillian release a breath of relief and he reached across to twine his fingers with hers. She squeezed his hand in return.   
“I know you both have demanding schedules, but I’d strictly advise you to stay rested – get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, take weekends off, not too much physical exertion.” She held her sharp gaze on Gillian for a moment, allowing the significance of her words to sink in. “If neither of you have any questions, I’ll be seeing you again in 6 weeks. Hopefully then I’ll be able to pick up a heartbeat on the ultrasound, maybe even an image.” She smiled warmly.  
“I have a question,” Gillian said and David glanced over at her. “When’s the due date?”  
“Of course,” said Dr Wainwright. “I’ll be able to be more specific as we begin to chart the foetal growth, but now I’d be looking at around late April, early May.”  
David and Gillian nodded in unison.  
“Gillian,” Dr Wainwright said softly. “Stop worrying. Everything is going to be fine. This time next year you’ll have a healthy 3 month old.”  
David wasn’t sure that such words of reassurance were any help at all. By all accounts, his terror was matched only by Gillian’s.

* * *

Three weeks passed and aside from occasional nausea and additional fatigue, Gillian hardly had any symptoms of pregnancy at all. She could only hope that the following eight months would be the same. David had taken control from the moment they’d returned from their initial appointment with Dr Wainwright, drawing up a full meal plan, stopping her from doing things like carrying baskets of laundry or groceries, and ensuring she got to bed before 11pm every night. They had decided together to not make any announcements to family and their agencies until the first trimester had passed and they’d had time to come up with a plan to juggle work arrangements for next few months. The media had so far not cottoned on to the fact that David was even in London, let alone that Gillian was carrying his child, and Gillian and assured him that Dr Wainwright’s practice was very exclusive and that she placed her utmost faith in no one from it letting the sensitive information leak to the public.

* * *

Gillian was lying in bed reading a book while David took a shower before bed. She heard the faucet turn off and caught a glimpse of tanned muscle through the door which was slightly ajar. She immediately felt a twinge of heat in her core. She’d been jumpy all day around him. Clearly the first trimester hormones were starting to kick in and it was all she could do not to jump him as soon as he’d returned from his run earlier in the evening. She was always horny as hell in the first few months of each of her pregnancies. Luckily this time around she had David, who was not only eager, but extremely skilled at scratching every one of her sexual itches. 

He walked into the room wearing only a pair of boxers in the warm August air, bringing with him a cloud of fresh-smelling steam from the bathroom. As he got beneath the covers, she couldn’t help but catch a whiff of the mintyness of his breath, only adding to the hot pulsing between her legs. She knew he was probably exhausted, having allowed her to sleep in during the morning while he got the boys ready for school before Cara picked them up, so she tried to drag her mind away from the warm, toned, sinewy body next to her and back to the book in her hands, but soon she could hardly make out the letters. David had started running his fingertips gently along her forearm and soon he leaned over and placed a few soft kisses on her shoulder. The smell of his fresh skin mixed with his natural muskiness was driving her wild and she slammed her book shut with a groan, threw it onto the bedside table and rolled onto her side to capture his mouth with her own. 

He made a noise of surprise but soon met her enthusiasm, nipping her lips and sliding his hot tongue into her mouth. She immediately reached down for the hem of her short summer nightgown, pulling it off to expose her bare body to his hungry gaze.

“Fuck, Gilly,” he groaned, staring at her breasts, slightly swollen already, dusky nipples puckered, then pulled her down into another demanding kiss. She slid into his lap to straddle him, moaning loudly into his mouth as she felt his hardness pressed firmly against her throbbing clit. His fingers dug into her hips, holding her close to him as he devoured her.

She pulled away gasping from breath. “David, please,” she whimpered. “I need this. I need you. Oh, god.” She was already reaching into his boxers, drawing out his stiff member with her small firm hand. She stroked him up and down, watching droplets of precum gather at the head while he breathed deeply into the crevice of her neck. Then she raised onto her knees and lowered her tight, wet pussy onto him and coming to rest with him fully sheathed within her. They both groaned at the feeling of completion. She tried to start up a rhythm by bouncing her hips but his strong hands on her hips held her still against him. She whimpered in frustration, but he began placing delicate kisses on her neck, chest and breasts making her forget about everything but the feeling of his mouth on her body.

He licked her nipples, leaving wet smears across her breasts that dried sticky, then returned to her neck, scraping his teeth against the tendons he found there and kissing around her ear lobe. “You’re fucking gorgeous, baby,” he growled, making her internal muscles clamp down involuntarily around him. “You wanna move?” She moaned. “You wanna ride my cock?” She nodded her head desperately, losing the ability to speak as her breathing quickened into harsh pants.

Having mercy, he loosened his grip on her and helped her slide up and down on him. It wasn’t long before they’d established a fast pace, Gillian bouncing in his lap as her hair fell loosely around shoulders and her breasts bobbed tantalisingly before him. She looped her arms around his neck, seeking out his mouth with her own as their tongues duelled. With a grunt, he flipped them so that she lay on her back beneath him. He kissed her hard once more and then began pounding into her so violently that all she could do was cling on. 

“Ah, ah, ah,” she cried out each time he bumped her cervix, the border between pleasure and pain driving her insane with want. She was so wet she could feel her desire dripping from where he was thrusting into her, along her hip and onto the bedding beneath their frantic coupling. The sound of slapping flesh filled the room but was drowned to each of them as the blood roared through their ears, mingling with the cries and moans they were each eliciting. 

“Oh, Gilly,” he spat out between clenched teeth. “I love you so fucking much.” And then she clamped down on him as her orgasm overtook her and she shuddered beneath him. She came back to him thrusting gently in and out of her while whispering of his love into her damp hair. He kissed her slowly, languidly, the frenzy of moments before but a memory. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too, David,” she said hoarsely, staring into his eyes above her. “I love you so much.”

“I love that you’re carrying our child,” he said, before capturing her mouth again. She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his tailbone to drive him forward into her, and soon he was tumbling off the cliff as he shot his seed into her. She ran her fingers through his hair and placed soothing kisses along his jawline before he withdrew and rolled off her. 

“Hey,” she whispered just as he was dozing off. He cracked an eye open at her. “I can’t wait to have this baby with you. You’re already an amazing partner to me; have been for 20 years. I know you’ll be an amazing father too.”

He smiled, pulling her across to his side of the bed to spoon her as they both fell asleep, sweaty but sated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuses for why I haven't updated this in 8 months. I guess I've just lost faith in this story, but it means so much to me that so many of you haven't. I'm uploading this because it's been sitting there for months and I thought it would only be fair to share it. It's pathetically short and unfinished, but there you go. London A.X. is officially on extended hiatus until I feel the desire to return to it. Thanks to every single one who's read, commented, kudosed and bookmarked - it honestly means the world to me and this is for you. In the meantime, I've concocted a new multi-chap story for these inseparable love birds - look out for Delivered, coming December 2016 (I'd also be open to adopting a beta if anyone is interested - must be up for editing and kicking me in the ass when I get demotivated)! Gillovny today, Gillovny tomorrow, Gillovny forever.

“I started bleeding. I’ve managed to get an emergency appointment with Dr Wainswright. I need you home now.”

He stared at the phone in his hand, the words of her text bleeding together as he tried to grapple with their meaning. The shouts and laughter of the park faded into the background, feeling only the panic beginning to bubble in his chest. She’d not been feeling well so he’d taken the boys out to give her some peace. His body felt like it was filled with lead, unable to move, unable to speak. He took a few deep breaths, refinding his centre of gravity and clearing his head of everything but the goal of getting to her. 

“Boys!” he called and Oscar and Felix obediently came to him. “We need to get going. I need to take your mom to the doctor. She isn’t feeling well. I think Cara or your dad will come look after you, okay?” Sensing his urgency, both boys nodded and followed him to the car.

* * *

Cara had thankfully been free and took over as soon as David got back, pacifying Oscar and Felix with promises of board games and lunch, while he helped Gillian to the car. She was pale and shaky and he felt useless. “When did this start?” he asked as she buckled her seatbelt and he pulled into the road.

“I started spotting last night. It happened with Felix and I panicked then but everything turned out fine. They said it can happen. Something about slight detachment from the uterine wall. But after you left this morning I realised it was a lot heavier than before.” She rattled everything off matter of factly, sounding almost rehearsed, all the while staring down at her hands clasped in her lap. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you last night,” she added in a broken whisper and he looked over to see her brushing away a stray tear off her cheekbone. 

“Hey, hey,” he cooed soothingly, reaching a hand over to clutch both of hers. “Don’t cry, Gilly. We don’t know what’s wrong yet, if anything. Whatever it is, we’ll make it through this, okay? I’m not mad at all. I just want to know that you’re fine.”

“What if I’m fine but the baby isn’t?” she asked softly. It struck him to the bone to see her looking and sounding so fragile, a shell of the fireball she usually was.

He sighed. “Let’s wait and see what the doctor says, honey.” He squeezed her fingers and hoped like hell that her question wouldn’t ever have to be answered.

* * *


End file.
